The COVID-19 pandemic will leave a mark on our Southern Nevada community, but as we have proven time and time again, we are resilient and we will come back. We are Nevada Contractors. We are a major employer and partner to our community, and we have an obligation to maintain its health and vibrancy.
Gov. Steve Sisolak has made it clear that preventing the spread of COVID-19 is the No. 1 priority and we could not agree more. Our challenge is to prevent the virus from spreading while keeping our jobsites — and economy — up and running. Our member companies have robust safety plans and procedures in place to ensure a healthy work environment. Protecting workers and the general public from dangerous hazards is always our top focus. The current situation does not change that focus, and we have taken steps to address this added challenge. Some of our precautionary measures include:
• Mandating social distancing.
• Requiring anyone not feeling 100 percent to stay home.
• We have instituted a “fit for duty” check for all employees. As our teams arrive at the jobsite, they are required to answer questions about their health to assure everyone on the crew is symptom-free.
• We have hired additional staff to disinfect work areas, including porta-johns, turnstiles, handrails, meeting rooms, etc.
• We have increased signage on the projects to further educate workers on them most recent CDC guidelines.
• We work to communicate through various means with all of our workforce in regards to safety messaging, changes in best practices, and/or other updates.
• We have discouraged travel and outside visitors to our projects.
• We are working to stagger our various shifts and start times to help put additional distance between workers.
We as contractors have also found other ways to step to support our community. Our partners in health care have a demand that we can help fill. We have coordinated our purchasing power and are buying $50,000 worth of masks and donating them through Clark County Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Clark County. This will provide more than 13,000 masks to those in need.
Our contractors and their employees take pride in their work and communities. Their job, today, is to keep working in the face of what could be the greatest challenges our community has ever confronted. When we see our men and women working diligently over the next several weeks on the many major projects throughout Southern Nevada, it will inspire hope and confidence that Las Vegas will bounce back.
Sean Stewart is the CEO of the Nevada Contractors Association.
